In 2008, a U.S. Department of Labor report found that traffic fatalities are the top cause of worker deaths in work zones, accounting for at least a quarter of workplace deaths. The good news is that the number of traffic fatalities has decreased since highway construction crews started using safety orange barrels. The safety orange barrel has been successful in reducing deaths for two reasons.
First, the color, safety orange, alerts a driver. Safety orange is a hue that is a complementary contrast to the azure color of the sky. Second, the size of the safety orange barrel is more noticeable than the traditional traffic cone and provides some barrier between a vehicle and a worker.
Although the safety orange barrel increases worker safety, it is time consuming to place and remove the safety orange barrel from the site of construction. Generally, to place barrels in position, a vehicle moves along the site where the barrels are to be placed while one worker hands barrels down, from the vehicle, to a second worker walking along side the truck. The second worker places the barrels in position. This method is slow and requires at least 2 workers and a driver. A second method to place barrels requires a worker to drop barrels from the truck onto the site. Although this method only takes 1 driver and 1 worker, it can be ineffective. For example, if the barrels are not weighted, they may tip over when being dropped onto the location.
Retrieving the barrels from the road more difficult. Generally, a truck moves along the road from which the barrel must be collected and at least one worker walks alongside the truck lifting barrels onto the truck. In this scenario, the worker lifting barrels may place the barrels directly on the truck or hand the barrel to another worker on the truck. If the barrels are weighted, it may take more than one worker to lift the barrels onto the truck. In either one of these scenarios, at least one worker is fighting against gravity.
The methods discussed above for placing and removing barrels from a road makes for dangerous work conditions. The worker working on top of the truck can easily fall off. The worker walking along side the truck may be hit by oncoming traffic or may be injured by a misstep.
The main object of the current invention is to provide an apparatus, that can be installed on a flat bed truck, pre-market or post-market, which allows barrels to efficiently and safely placed or removed from a work site.